On the morning of Nov. 9, 2018, I quickly packed my backpack with necessities after I received an alert message from Pepperdine University about initiating shelter-in-place protocol. I came outside of my dorm and I saw an immense cloud of smoke hanging over the campus, while students were rushing to leave. While Pepperdine’s campus was successfully protected from the wildfires, many in California lost their homes and lives.
One of the main reasons for wildfires is climate change. Investing in solar energy is one solution to decrease the number of devastating wildfires in California. Solar panels help people save on energy bills while being environmentally friendly. It is shocking to think that in the 21st century, in such a progressive state like California, the utility companies are lobbying to roll back on policies that incentivize people to invest in solar. People should not be “punished” for wanting to invest in clean energy. We must expand on and protect the policies that make solar energy accessible to Californians.
Pawel Jankowiak